Herbert, Scripture, and Fellowship

What is it about?

This chapter explains how Herbert’s investment in mystery finds expression in Briefe Notes on Valdesso’s Considerations (1638). Situating Herbert’s spiritual aesthetics in the context of his critique of Valdés provides us with a fuller sense of the intimate connection he saw between learned ignorance and fellowship, the experience of cultivated nescience and the life of common prayer. Briefe Notes proves especially valuable for understanding poems in which Herbert explicitly addresses exegetical issues, including major lyrics such as “The H. Scriptures,” “The bunch of grapes,” and “The Flower” as well as key passages in his major prose works.

Featured Image